Dual citizenship in Vietnam for a Viet Kieu?

Hi Sofia,

Does any of your parents still have his/her Vietnamese citizenship?  If both of them are Canadian citizens, than you are considered a Canadian citizen, not even a Viet Kieu.

If that is the case, then there are only 2 ways for you to gain Vietnamese permanent residence and/or citizenship.  The first is one of your parents reclaims his/her Vietnamese citizenship; and you tag along with him/her (through birth).  The other is for you to marry a Vietnamese citizen and gradually work your ways toward Vietnamese citizenship (through naturalization).

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise because they are just taking you through the loops and, in the long run, you will probably end up at square one again.  The fore-mentioned paths are the simpliest and least expensive to you.

But as of now, to help make things easier for yourself, you should get the school that you are teaching at to help you with a temporary residence card.  They should know the process and should be able to get that for you in little time and without much hustles.

As for business, it is a rather long story.  But, let me tell you this:  if you want your Vietnamese citizenship, then wait until you get that done before getting into business here.  Otherwise, you will be fighting an uphill battle administratively and financially.

If you need more information, feel free to PM me.  I am a dual citizen, Vietnamese/American, and have been doing business here for over 3 years now.

Hope that answer some of your questions.

Best wishes,
Howie

Wild_1 wrote:

If that is the case, then there are only 2 ways for you to gain Vietnamese permanent residence and/or citizenship.  The first is one of your parents reclaims his/her Vietnamese citizenship; and you tag along with him/her (through birth).  The other is for you to marry a Vietnamese citizen and gradually work your ways toward Vietnamese citizenship (through naturalization).

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise because they are just taking you through the loops ...

Sofia

I know a certain guy who frequents this board who lives in Cantho. He is still single, and he is in fact looking for a gal, so that would be one way .

Joking aside, Howie, are you sure about this? I think Sofia can apply WITHOUT her parents reclaiming their citizenship.
I am quoting from the JOINT CIRCULAR No. 10/2000/TTLT/BKH-BTP-BNG-BCA OF AUGUST 15, 2000

http://www.dncustoms.gov.vn/web_Eglish/ … NG-BCA.htm


1.2. Those who have Vietnamese blood ties, including those who have natural fathers, natural mothers or paternal grandfathers, paternal grand mothers, maternal grandfathers and/or maternal grandmothers, who currently bear or USED TO (my own emphasis) bear Vietnamese nationality


.....

13.2. Those who request the granting of Vietnamese blood ties certification at the agencies prescribed at Point 13.1 of this Circular should make applications enclosed with the following papers (including those granted before April 30, 1975 by the former administration):

a/ Papers proving the Vietnamese nationality of their blood fathers, blood mothers, paternal grandfathers, paternal grandmothers, maternal grandfathers or maternal grandmothers; where these persons had lost Vietnamese nationality, the written certifications of the loss of Vietnamese nationality are required;

b/ Papers proving the applicants are blood children, paternal grandchildren or maternal grandchildren of the persons falling under the subject mentioned at Point 13.2.a of this Circular;

Best to check with this governmental agency

http://kieubaoviet.vn/dich-vu5/Xac-nhan-goc-Viet.html

They do help explain to you about the procedure and with some fee, they can help with the paperwork itself.

What was said about parents reacquiring citizenship is not accurate

Two years ago I was contacted through a chatroom by a woman who is French, Her mother is French and her late Father was Vietnamese/Ede from DakLak.

She is now a Vietnamese Citizen with passport and ID card. As is her sister. Not only that, but she brought her children over last year and they are now Vietnamese citizens (their Father is Moroccan!)

The details are immaterial EXCEPT you will need to know ALL the details of your parents residences when they were in VietNam. Were they given permission to immigrate or were they boat people?

You should know as much as possible about relatives, dead or alive, etc.

The VN Government has rebuilt the Vietnamese diaspora, they likely know more about you than you do. They atr completing a huge jigsaw puzzle.

The variations in information, whether gospel or not, simply illustrates peoples experiences. It's bad enough with visas with all the different experiences.

What I advise you to do is to simply visit the TP HCM Immigration Office on Nguyen Du and speak to someone and get their advice.

Don't use an agent, if you speak Vietnamese you can speak for yourself.

THEY are the ones who will decide; they are the friendliest office in VN.

And you won't be alone, there are hundreds of Vietnamese/Canadians in VN with dual citizenship.

Just a point of clarification.

kieubaoviet.vn is not an agent in the sense of a company trying to earn money. They are a government office whose job is to inform VietKieus about the intricate points of the law applying only to them. This is to facilitate the entry of the VietKieus.

For asking about info, their services are free and they are doing quite an ok job. If you want them to help with the paperwork, because you don't want to jump through the hoops yourself, they will help you to process the papers with a fee. Note, the fee is not cheap, so be aware.

One benefit of using them is that they require less paperwork than the official requirements (some time) and they can do it quicker. Take for example, the driving certificate. On their website and confirmed through phone call, they require less paperwork requirement than the official rule. I asked them why. They said they could do it because those are adequate, no need for the long official list of certification. At the end, I decided not to use them.

Hi, you will be able to apply for a 5 year visa-exemption

The main thing is that the VN Government is wholly behind 'repatriating; VK, They have made it easier over the years and the biggest step was allowing dual citizenship.

Even China has figured easing duality is worthwhile and they alloq sual citizenship.

Reclaiming the citizenship is not uniquely Vietnamese. I am a Canadian and we have many, many first and second generation Canadians born to foreign-born parents who do this. Chinese,for understandable reasons, have been reluctant to do so.

What surprised me about my French friend was notwithstanding the antagonism between Viet and ethnic groups here, there were absolutely no impediments raised.

She and her family are presently in the Middle East (her husband works for a large French company) and when her documentation was concluded the Ambassador held a ceremony at which she was given her papers.

Unfortunately her Father died 11 years before she reclaimed Vietnamese citizenship.

For the VKs who are contemplating applying for this: this is NOT a freebie.

Depending on which passport you are holding, you may not be able/allowed to do so. Some countries forbid their citizens to have dual citizenship. They would require you to renounce your Vietnamese citizenship as part of your application to their citizenship.

If you, against the rules, still apply for Vietnamese citizenship, you are violating the law.

More about the different rules in the following link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_citizenship

Of course, the foreign government does not normally know that you have dual citizenship, but if you, say, have any legal problem in Vietnam, and expect the embassy to help and they find out that you have also Vietnamese citizenship, they will annul your other citizenship and refuse to help you. You'll may be denied entry back, so now you know the consequences.

Remember: Ignorance is not a defensible excuse when you are violating the law.

PS: relax Howie. Uncle Sam still allows you to be a Yankee, even though you live out there in the boondocks.

http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fil:DualCitizenMap.PNG

Sophia,

Assuming that you want to gain your Vietnamese citizenship through birth, it is important that you know exactly where your parents were borned and begin the process at or in the major city that is nearest to one of their birth places.

I hope that your parents did not have to renounce their Vietnamese citizenship when they became Canadian citizens, like I had to when I became a US citizen.  If they did, it will be very sticky for you.  I am also certain that your parents were "the boat people"...  That in itself is a very touchy topic when it comes to legal documentation here.  Anyhow, begin by talking to your parents about their birth places and learn a little about their lives prior to their plight from Vietnam.

For your information, the old South Vietnamese birth certificates showed only the parents' occupations and not their citizenships or nationalities.  Don't ask me why.  But, that is one of the things that you will have to overcome: to proof that your parents were Vietnamese citizens.  SUCH DOCUMENTS DID NOT EXIST BACK THEN, especially for those that fled the country following the fall of Saigon.  The current Vietnamese government agencies will have to issue you its equivalent documents to support the claim; and that is what will make things complicated.

Going through the different Vietnamese government agency archives to look for such information on yourself, like I had to do with birth certificate, was tough and time consuming.  Then, getting them to officialize that and to issue other supporting documents was no easy task.  Doing that on your parents will be twice as hard.  And if you have a Canadian name?  Multiply that by two, in term of degree of difficulty.

I personally went through the process myself.  But, unlike you, I was borned in Vietnam and had US citizenship.  I went to all the right places and had a lot of local helps.  Nonetheless, the whole thing cost me about $3000 USDs and took about 2 months.

Howie

Anyone re-acquiring a VN citizenship cannot seek assistance from the government of any other passport they hold. Holds true for any country. A US citizen with Israeli passport cannot seek US assistance whilst in Israel.

Children are not held accountable for the actions/choices of their parents. This is often the case in 'forced' migration.

I have heard of difficulties arising where an applicant committed a serious crime when departing, i.e. murdering someone who tried to stop them. Even these people are not barred outright, there is a process followed that determines the circumstances.

The national government also, now, accepts that the re-unification government were *rseholes and did a lot of damage more properly described as revenge. Apart from bulldozing the South's military graves they also committed atrocities, stole valuables, stripped hospitals (especially the Cho Ray), etc.

This has led to them accepting that escape was not unreasonable, even if illegal.

When the Americans vacated they left an old IBM computer filled with data, and tons of paper files. All this data was recovered when VietNam was unified and has enabled Ha Noi to 'reconstruct' information.

The more 'peripheral' information you can gather about your families, the easier the job is. Addresses, extended family, etc. all helps to 'complete the jigsaw' and make it easier to verify.

DNA can also be used as was the case of a woman now resident in Binh Duong, with a daughter in Nha Trang. Her US husband grabbed his son, abandoning the rest, and fled to the USA. After the Father died the son visited VietNam, located his Mother and he regained status through DNA. The Mother had used old Southern records to prove she was married and had two children.

Anetta said: "kieubaoviet.vn is not an agent in the sense of a company trying to earn money. They are a government office whose job is to inform VietKieus about the intricate points of the law applying only to them. This is to facilitate the entry of the VietKieus." This is yet more confirmation that the VN government has a positive view on this.

The only negative is that I have heard of bribes required by some elements of government to speed this process up. But what's new?

Hello all,


Wow, I am very pleased and thankful for all of your advice and tips.


I just wanted to correct a typo, even though it won't affect any of your advice: I have been living here in Vietnam for 1.5 years, not 1.5 months.


Howie, thank you very much for your thorough and detailed information. My parents do not have their Vietnamese citizenship anymore. My mother was a boat person, escaping after the fall of Saigon, but my father moved to Canada on a university scholarship in 1962. I believe he had to renounce his Vietnamese citizenship when he received his Canadian citizenship.

Ouch, I didn't realize it could cost so much to apply for dual citizenship. I'm surprised you were able to do everything in 2 months! But afterall, you had a lot of contacts and good people.


Anatta, thank you for the information on gaining citizenship through blood ties. I had no clue about that. I will look into that agent and visit them and inform myself as much as possible. I believe I can reconstruct a lot of my parent's heritage and past here in Vietnam, as we still have a lot of family and acquaintances here, as well as a lot of photos and documents from the past. Thank you also for the heads-up about the fees. I will take that into consideration.


Jaitch, thank you for the great insight and illustrating the perspective from the Vietnamese government. I will definitely visit the Immigration department and do my research. I will also try my best to find out details of my parents' properties, etc. It is interesting and admirable indeed that the government is interested in constructing the diaspora tree.


Thank you all for your great advice and kind input. I will visit the two offices you told me about, as well as start researching into the history of my parents. Wish me the best! At the same time, my parents were also interested in re-claiming their lost Vietnamese citizenship, so they will be working on that at the same time. So I guess if one avenue fails, I'll work hard on the other avenue.


Thank you all once again!


Sofia

Sofia,

There you go!  If your parents are interested in reclaiming their Vietnamese citizenship, then help them and you just tag along and become a Vietnamese citizen yourself.

But, where are your parents now, in Canada?  The best and most cost-effective way to reclaiming your Vietnamese citizenship is right here in Vietnam.  However, it requires that the individual, who wants his/her Vietnamese citizenship, must live here continuously for 1 year or more. 

Otherwise, you must do everything in Canada and through the Vietnamese Embassy in Canada.  I don't suggest this though.  It gets pretty messy with all the correspondings back and forth from the embassy to you and back here...  Have your parents come here and stay for 1 year is the best.

Last I heard, certain people were able to get around that 1 year requirement.  You might want to look into that a little.

But, the process of reclaiming your Vietnamese citizenship takes a little longer; and it cost a bit less.  I paid that price because, among other things, I wanted it fast.

Again, go back to where your parents came from and find out from your relatives about the people who could help you with your quest.  The best ones are those who work at your local immigration office.

Don't use an attorney!!!  I attended law school in the US.  When I came over here, I thought that attorneys here were similar.  Geee!  They are far from that.  What makes them funny people is they think they are entitled to similar fees. 

Even the best attorney here must go out and find the immigration contacts to make things work.  So, don't go there.  Just go get the "proper introductions" to one of your local immigration officers, the higher the better.

If you are able to find a good one, he/she can help you do the rest, like getting your parents birth certificates reissued into the current official form...  He/she can get them done much easier and faster than you thumbing your nose at the local agencies.

Best of lucks,
Howie

Hi.

I am an Australian citizen, i was born in Vietnam and still retain my birth certificate, my parents are boat people and i left when i was 4 yrs old.

Is there any way i can reclaim my Vietnamese citizenship? Is there a case similar to me where you are 4 years old and not at an age where you were given a choice to renounce your citizenship? I am 30 years old now and wish to get my citizenship back.

Hello dangchau,

you surely have a good chance. You are not the first one, who does. With your COB, you will most likely all you really need.
As for a dual - I do not know.

Dangchau,

You can reclaim your Vietnamese citizenship.  Don't dig into the technicalities too much.  Regardless, when your parents fled Vietnam, they were considered "enemy of the state".  If Vietnamese officals want to have a beef with you, then you are going to go nowhere.  But, take it easy, don't come here with that hardcore western attitude, then you will get what you want.

I came to the US when I was 8.  Not only I did renounced my Vietnamese citizenship but I also did many things that made socialist folks "uncomfortable".  But, I got my Vietnamese citizenship.

The Vietnamese birth certificate is a must, unless you can prove otherwise, but the rest are pretty much up to you--the way you go about things.

Good luck, 

Howie

Hi everyone!

I'm a french viet kieu, thinking about going for this dual citizenship. But I have some questions about the application process.

- I have my vietnamese birth certificate to prove my vietnamese origins. But what other papers am I requiered to submit? (working contract? renting contract?...)

- I was born in Saigon, but currently living in Hanoi. I guess I have to go to Saigon to make the application.
But I have confusing information on the place to go. Some people told me to go to the immigration service; the immigration people in Hanoi told me to go to the justice department...
Could you guys confirm where I have to go in Saigon?

-How does it cost?

- How long does it takes before receiving this paper saying that you are now a Vietnamese citizen?

Anyone who went though the process or who knows about the subject is very welcome to share insights and experience.

Thank you!

Hello violingirl,

Instinctively, this looks almost impossible.
I am sure, somebody will be able to support my suspicion

Violin girl,

How old are you?  How long have you been in Vietnam?  Is there any relative that can sponsor you?  Where is he/she living?

I went through the process 3 years ago; and I had just helped another expat on here with his.  There are a lot of questions to be answered, before I could exactly tell you where you should file your application.

Feel free to PM me, if you are not comfortable disclosing the aboved info.

Howie

Thanks for your quick reply guys!

According to the Vietnamese law on citizenship, viet kieu are able to seek Vietnamese citizenship without renouncing existing citizenship by registering at the VN embassy of their country of residence - in my case at the embassy in Paris.

I've been living in Hanoi for about 1 year now because my partner is working here. I have the exemption of visa, but am tired of having to leave the country every 3 months.
So in order to save time and money, I asked around if it's possible to submit the application for the citizenship directly in VN instead of doing it the embassy in Paris. And the answer is yes, it's possible.
But then, informations on where to apply, what papers to submit, the cost, the delay...are not really clear.

Howie, to answer your questions, I was born in Saigon but left with my family for France when I was 5. I'm 26 now, have french citizenship and still have the original of my VN COB.
I do have some cousins in Saigon, but we are not close and we don't know each other very well. Not sure if they are willing to sponsor...

Really appreciate if you can answer some of my questions!

Violingirl,

26...  So your birth certificate is in the current official form.  That helps a lot!

Now, you have lived in Vietnam for over 1 year?  But, it doesn't sound like 1 continuous year?  Can you get the ward police where you are living to verify that you have lived there continuously for 1 year or more.  That is because it is one of the requirements to get your application processed here.  There are a couple of ways around it...  but we will talk about them, when we get there.

Another thing is you must have a Vietnamese sponsor, someone who is willing to let you onto their "ho khau."  Anyone?  Where are they living?  Friends are OK, but the closer your relationship to them the better.  Regardless, you will need to file your application where your sponsor is.

In term of cost...  The official cost is $100 USDs; and the process can take as long as 6 months.  Like I had mentioned elsewhere on here, I personally paid $3000 USDs for mine.  But, that was because I wanted my ASAP (less than a month) and my personal background was not to the current government's likings.

But, yes you can get everything done here.  The cost depends on how fast you want it, what you have on hand here, and what you did back home.  Regardless, it is much cheaper than if you do it back home because everything must be translated, certified and forwarded by the proper authorities...

I hope that helps somewhat. 

Howie

"I have the exemption of visa, but am tired of having to leave the country every 3 months."

Why are you leaving the country every three months? Prepare the proper document and submit it to immigration in Hanoi. No reason at this point to do a visa run out of country if you have a VEC stamp in your passport. PM me if you want the info on how to do it, I'd be glad to help.

Wild_1 wrote:

Violingirl,

26...  So your birth certificate is in the current official form.  That helps a lot!

Now, you have lived in Vietnam for over 1 year?  But, it doesn't sound like 1 continuous year?  Can you get the ward police where you are living to verify that you have lived there continuously for 1 year or more.  That is because it is one of the requirements to get your application processed here.  There are a couple of ways around it...  but we will talk about them, when we get there.

Another thing is you must have a Vietnamese sponsor, someone who is willing to let you onto their "ho khau."  Anyone?  Where are they living?  Friends are OK, but the closer your relationship to them the better.  Regardless, you will need to file your application where your sponsor is.

In term of cost...  The official cost is $100 USDs; and the process can take as long as 6 months.  Like I had mentioned elsewhere on here, I personally paid $3000 USDs for mine.  But, that was because I wanted my ASAP (less than a month) and my personal background was not to the current government's likings.

But, yes you can get everything done here.  The cost depends on how fast you want it, what you have on hand here, and what you did back home.  Regardless, it is much cheaper than if you do it back home because everything must be translated, certified and forwarded by the proper authorities...

I hope that helps somewhat. 

Howie

is that taking back the VN citizenship or making a dual one?

l3ully,

That is establishing Vietnamese citizenship because, for most of us, we left the country during the days that such an identification feature was not established, or thought to be necessary.

Those who lived here continuously have that automatically bestowed upon them, when the government deemed it necessary.  But, for the ones that left, we have to go through this process.

Call it what you may...  It is just the way they do it here.

I hope that clarify things for you somewhat.

Howie

Wild_1 wrote:

l3ully,

That is establishing Vietnamese citizenship because, for most of us, we left the country during the days that such an identification feature was not established, or thought to be necessary.

Those who lived here continuously have that automatically bestowed upon them, when the government deemed it necessary.  But, for the ones that left, we have to go through this process.

Call it what you may...  It is just the way they do it here.

I hope that clarify things for you somewhat.

Howie

I only was checking, not picking, as it was about DUAL - not single VN

l3ully,

Unlike the US, if you qualify, Vietnam will grant you citizenship.  They won't ask and won't care about which country you are already a citizen of, like much of the world.

Vietnam does not make you pick a citizenship.  In other words, Vietnam accepts dual citizenship, not like the US.

Update on my case:


Hello all, just thought I'd update you on my proceedings...

Well I've visited the Kieubaoviet office on Ly Tu Trong and got to sit down and talk for a long time with an agent there. Yes, as you have all advocated, it is a very good agency and the officers in there are all very kind and helpful.

I've found out that a person of my case cannot get a dual citizenship.


Here are the stipulations (as advised to me by the agency):


- If my parents used to have their Vietnamese nationalities in the past, they may reclaim it and have dual citizenship, but several factors determine the level of difficulty in reclaiming it:
a) The year they became Canadian Citizens. The officer said it was important to know which year they received their Canadian citizenship.
b) Did they renounce the Vietnamese citizenship at the time they got their Canadian citizenship? If they actually renounced it, it makes a difference from if they didn't actually renounce it.

If they actually had renounced the Vietnamese citizenship, it will make it a lot more difficult to reclaim it. It is not impossible though, just more difficult.


In the past, if a Viet Kieu renounced the Vietnamese citizenship, they would not be able to reclaim it. But now, the laws have changed and they do allow reclaiming it, although it's a more arduous process.

My parents would need to provide old Vietnamese passport, birth certificate, or any kind of legal document that proved they were Vietnamese citizens; they would need to come in person to sign some papers here in Vietnam; AND they would need to live in Vietnam for about 4 to 6 months. The latter is to show how serious they are about regaining their Vietnamese citizenship and to prove that they would live here and the purpose of gaining the citizenship is a valid one.


Now for MY case, as their child...


I was born in Canada, and my parents were already Canadians when I was born. So I will not be able to get a dual citizenship with Vietnam. If I apply for a Vietnamese citizenship, I will have to renounce my Canadian one.

The only way that I would've had a chance, is if at the time I was born, my parents still had their Vietnamese citizenships. If they did, then I'd be eligible for Vietnamese citizenship (dual). They said I could check my birth certificate and see my parents' nationalities written on the birth certificate.


So, as far as me getting a dual citizenship, it's impossible, since I'm pretty sure my parents were Canadians already when I was born.

As for how easily they could get their dual citizenship, I will have to find out WHEN they became Canadian citizens and IF they actually actively renounced their Vietnamese citizenships.



I do have the option of getting the Vietnamese Origin Certificate. The requirements would be my parent(s)'s birth certificate (which should be Vietnamese), and my own birth certificate (which should prove that I'm the real child of my parents. With this Origin Certificate, I would be able to buy/own one house or flat in Vietnam.



Okay... Well... that's the update on my case....


Hope it may help somebody out there in the same situation as me!


And thanks again for all those who gave me advice!

sofimofi wrote:

Update on my case:


Hello all, just thought I'd update you on my proceedings...

Well I've visited the Kieubaoviet office on Ly Tu Trong and got to sit down and talk for a long time with an agent there. Yes, as you have all advocated, it is a very good agency and the officers in there are all very kind and helpful.

I've found out that a person of my case cannot get a dual citizenship.


Here are the stipulations (as advised to me by the agency):


- If my parents used to have their Vietnamese nationalities in the past, they may reclaim it and have dual citizenship, but several factors determine the level of difficulty in reclaiming it:
a) The year they became Canadian Citizens. The officer said it was important to know which year they received their Canadian citizenship.
b) Did they renounce the Vietnamese citizenship at the time they got their Canadian citizenship? If they actually renounced it, it makes a difference from if they didn't actually renounce it.

If they actually had renounced the Vietnamese citizenship, it will make it a lot more difficult to reclaim it. It is not impossible though, just more difficult.


In the past, if a Viet Kieu renounced the Vietnamese citizenship, they would not be able to reclaim it. But now, the laws have changed and they do allow reclaiming it, although it's a more arduous process.

My parents would need to provide old Vietnamese passport, birth certificate, or any kind of legal document that proved they were Vietnamese citizens; they would need to come in person to sign some papers here in Vietnam; AND they would need to live in Vietnam for about 4 to 6 months. The latter is to show how serious they are about regaining their Vietnamese citizenship and to prove that they would live here and the purpose of gaining the citizenship is a valid one.


Now for MY case, as their child...


I was born in Canada, and my parents were already Canadians when I was born. So I will not be able to get a dual citizenship with Vietnam. If I apply for a Vietnamese citizenship, I will have to renounce my Canadian one.

The only way that I would've had a chance, is if at the time I was born, my parents still had their Vietnamese citizenships. If they did, then I'd be eligible for Vietnamese citizenship (dual). They said I could check my birth certificate and see my parents' nationalities written on the birth certificate.


So, as far as me getting a dual citizenship, it's impossible, since I'm pretty sure my parents were Canadians already when I was born.

As for how easily they could get their dual citizenship, I will have to find out WHEN they became Canadian citizens and IF they actually actively renounced their Vietnamese citizenships.



I do have the option of getting the Vietnamese Origin Certificate. The requirements would be my parent(s)'s birth certificate (which should be Vietnamese), and my own birth certificate (which should prove that I'm the real child of my parents. With this Origin Certificate, I would be able to buy/own one house or flat in Vietnam.



Okay... Well... that's the update on my case....


Hope it may help somebody out there in the same situation as me!


And thanks again for all those who gave me advice!

A huge and very interesting feedback and confirming my doubts. However, you still can do your papers to come "home"

Hi Sofia,

It is great that you are sharing your experience on here so others, like yourself, can be informed.

As for your particular case, there are a number of details that I thought you might want to be aware of.

First, your parents can reclaim their Vietnamese citizenship here or in Canada.  To do it here, if they were born in one of the major Vietnamese cities or the person who will actually sponsor them live in a major city, they will have to have stayed in Vietnam for ONE CONTINUOUS YEAR, before their applications are even considered by Vietnamese Immigration.  They go by the ward police logs.

But, your parents can apply for their Vietnamese citizenships in Canada as well, through the Vietnamese Embassy.  But, I highly recommend that you guys don't choose that path.  The correspondents will end up costing you much much more; and more importantly, if there is something negative about your applications, you will not be able to find help, or "outside influence" if you will.

Second, your very own case is not "impossible" like you think.  But, like I had stated elsewhere, you will need to have at least one of your parents reclaims his/her Vietnamese citizenship first.  Then, you submit your own application, with one of your parents newly issued documentations.

Last but not least, ALL Vietnamese-Americans had to renounce their Vietnamese citizenships upon their becomming American citizens.  I did; and I already got my Vietnamese citizenship back.  As long as your parents have or can locate their Vietnamese birth certificates, they will be fine.

Finally, nothing is "impossible" here, if you know the right people.

Best of luck,
Howie

Hi Sofia

Im actually in the same process that  you are going through right now. My parents came to canada in the 1980's and i was born a year after they arrived in canada. So techinally  my parents were sitll vietnamese during that time, my parents haven't recieved their canadian citizenship status yet.But what came to light while i was doing some research. Alot of vietnamese people who arrived in canada, never really reannounced their vietnam citizenship because there was really no necessary for it and canada was alot more easy on that requirment, Also when alot of our parents came over, they really had no documentations on them to begin with. The US on the other hand was more strict when it came to that rule. So there is a high likely chance that your parents never even reannounced their citizenship to begin with in the first place. But as to howe's advice. nothing is impossible... and for especially in vietnam. but yes it would be a big benefit for you if one of your parents get their citizenship documents back and upto date or reclaims their if so.

my parents were able to get their citizenship documents up to date again. and also if your parents were born in one of the major cities like saigon or hanoi. it will be alot faster process compared to if your parents were born in smaller city. I was able to assist a friend of mind obtains her. and i'll be doing the same thing for myself when i arrive in saigon in june.

Good luck to your applications
and don't give up on it. sometimes you have do some run arounds. but you'll get there ^_^

I've found this thread very informative on the topic of obtaining dual Vietnamese citizenship and would like to thank everyone for theirs helpful posts. I have considered starting the process myself but I have some apprehensions about becoming a Vietnamese citizen. We are all aware of the advantages of gaining dual citizenship if you plan on residing and doing business in Vietnam but I'm wondering if there are any disadvantages at the same time. I realize that there are several VKs on this boards who have dual citizenship and would like to ask your opinion on the matter.

I've been in Vietnam for a little more than 4 months now traveling and teaching english as volunteers with my fiancé. We are both Canadian citizens but I'm of Vietnamese decent. Luckily, my estranged father is a Vietnamese national and resides in the south central province of Phu Yen. He's been pushing me to get in touch with my roots and is wants to sponsor me so I can skip the hassle of renewing my visa every 90 days if I decide to extend my visit. I've began to grow accustomed to teaching English so if I decide to make a living with it, I can skip the painstaking process of getting work permit and being taxed as a foreigner. Since I'm not staying in a major city, its harder for me to get unbiased information on the process without being jerked around by local authorities. The region is about thirty years behind the rest of the the country so things get processed much more slowly around here.

With that said, I don't mind the prospect of living in Vietnam for the next little while but not forever. I would like to eventually go back to Canada to further my studies and retain my Canadian lifestyle. So what happens when I go back to Canada or any other country that I may want to visit along the way? What additional responsibilities do I have to Vietnam in respect to income earned abroad as well as future pursuits in business, marriage and entry into other countries? Has anyone encountered any issue or setback by holding dual citizenship? It would be extremely helpful to hear about your experiences. Thanks

Hi guys,

As far as I know, Canadians should have a lot less to worry about than the Americans, whose government does not recognize dual citizenship.

Prior to taking the plunge, I consulted a college classmate of mine, who was working as an immigration attorney in California, and all he instructed to me not do were joining the "the Party" and/or taking parts in the People's Army. 

As for travel, I went to Singapore and Thailand recently.  I presented my Vietnamese passport in those countries because of their ASEAN ties, everything was fine.  As a matter of fact, around Southeast Asia, especially if you speak Vietnamese, you are pretty well protected.  There are tons of Vietnamese living and working in these countries.

In short, I have not encounter a single problem yet.  Part of that could be because I am laying low or taking it easy.  As far as I am concern, this is uncharted water, cautions must be taken.  These additional rights and benefits should never be taken as the green light to go crazy with politics and finance.

I hope that help you guys a little.

Regards,
Howie

I do not think that Vietnam governement has dual citizenship policy. If you are holding a foreign passport, is vietnamese origin and wish to live/work in Vietnam for long-term you can apply for resident card which has to be renewed every three or five years. Since Vietnam government does not have dual citizenship policy thus you are only able to apply for VN citizenship when you accept to give up your current citizenship.

Hope this helps

hey mandy

the vietnam dual citizenship law was changed back in 2008, there's many people in vietnam with dual citizenship already.that i can say. but the process doesn't mean it's easy though. but yes there is people who have recieved theirs.

Hi Mandy,

Xautrai is spot on!  I currently hold a US and a Vietnamese passport.  I have had that since the fall of '09.  I can assure you that no one here will touch that foreign passport.  It is just a matter of you qualifying for Vietnamese citizenship or not and, like Xautrai had mentioned, this process can get somewhat sticky.  That's all.

Best wishes,
Howie

@ xautri & wild_1.

Wow interesting to know. Thanks guys for the information. I just moved back to live and work here in Vietnam. I do have a valid vietnamese passport however i am still required to apply for resident card in order to apply for work permit. The naturalization process is kinda confusing and complicated, I agree. Thus, I would rather just go and apply for a resident card which is a lot easier and avoids risks eventually.

Mandynguyen wrote:

I do have a valid vietnamese passport

That is good for you. 

however i am still required to apply for resident card in order to apply for work permit

Where is your Chung Minh Nhan Dan?  What about your old Ho Khau?  Because if you can locate these and get them current, then you won't need the silly work permit.  Geee!  You won't even need a visa.

See if you can find them.

Regards,
Howie

Man i left the country for years i have no idea where  my CMND is. The Ho Khau, the government took it back a few weeks following the day i left! Never mind, i have a resident card and work permit now. The company i work for took care of everything. Anyway thanks for the info. It is good to know.

Hi, I've been reading through this blog and hope I can get some advice.

I am an Australian citizen with Vietnamese mother. She was a boat person and lost her citizenship. Married a European man, my father, who is now an Australian Citizen.

I have started the process with my mother regaining her citizenship, and now she has dual citizenship, however there were some problems with my application based on her citizenship status. I applied from Australia, via a Vietnamese Lawyer who specialises in these matters and he said it wouldn't be a problem but he came back to me saying it was not possible. I think it was to do with my father's birth certificate.

Robertop,

You probably got "an ambulance chaser" for your case.  Get a real immigration attorney.  Wait.  Come to think of it, they would be Australian immigration attorneys, not Vietnamese.  You will need someone who really knows Vietnamese immigration, which changes like the wind...

Anyway.  Keep an eye on how they classified your mom's Vietnamese citizenship status, when she gained or re-gained it.  I think someone is trying to milk you by classifying her as a naturalized Vietnamese citizen, which I don't think is true.  But, it can make your application process a little more complicated.  Just go over her papers.  Talk to the ones who did her papers for her.  They should be able to help you.

Best of luck,
Howie